With the recent launch of New York State's Medical Marijuana Program, the College has begun exploring how best to prepare Pharm.D. students for the realities of the new law. Administrators and faculty are still hashing out details of a plan, but one of the recommendations being advocated for is the inclusion of "joint rolling" in Pharmacy Skills Lab IV. Proponents of the controversial idea argue that it is the only way to adequately prepare students for the expected addition of this skill to the Part III Section of the state's board exam. A faculty member involved in the discussions said, "I'm going to be blunt. We are having difficulty reaching a consensus on the proper steps to take as a College. There are a number of proposals we still need to weed through before any decisions can be made." A town hall meeting has been scheduled for April 20 to share updates and answer questions. Brownies and Gummy Bears will be served.

The College held an Instructional Design Symposium last week to showcase the innovative approaches to teaching that are being used by ACPHS faculty. Presenters at the Symposium shared their experiences in a range of teaching environments and highlighted strategies that included flipped classrooms, online teaching, and the use of media (e.g., video, games, and animation). The goal of the Symposium was to provide faculty with opportunities to share their work and experiences with colleagues as part of continuing efforts to leverage the latest insights in the areas of teaching and learning. Content from the day's oral and poster presentations is now available online for any one who would like to learn more.